Hemming Has A New Home

L to R – W. Bro Brian Stevens (Acting SW Hemming Lodge), W. Bro Terry Rainer (Acting WM Hemming). Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master, VW Bro Julian Soper, W. Bro Willaim Obomana (WM St Georges) W. Bro Ian Ferguson PAGStdB APGM (Middx), W. Bro Andy Wright PAGDC, (Middlesex Provincial Grand Secretary).

Wednesday 23rd October saw the departure of Hemming Lodge No 1512 (Middlesex) to a new home at Freemasons’ Hall having amalgamated with The St George’s Lodge No 140 in Metropolitan Grand Lodge. This was quite a unique occasion as amalgamations are few and far between, especially a “cross border” event. Both Lodges have their own unique stories to tell, and the good thing is the name Hemming will live on as being incorporated with the older Lodge. The St George’s Lodge is the older of the two having been consecrated in 1765 at the Queen’s Head, Chelsea in Middlesex. Yes, at that time Chelsea was very much in Middlesex as was a substantial portion of the area north of the Thames.

The ceremony of Amalgamation was conducted by the VW Bro Julian Soper, Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master. However, prior to that actually taking place, the Brethren received brief histories of the two Lodges each of which had interesting time lines. The founding of St. George’s Lodge took place on June 29th, 1765. From Grand Lodge records it is known that name was given in 1777 11 years after it the Lodge founded. It was then known as The St. George’s Lodge No 343.  It has had no less than 8 changes of number before today’s No 140. The Lodge was formed in The Queens Head in Chelsea but within a year it moved to Oxford Street where it remained for 20 years. Oxford Street in 1766 was part of the Ossulton Hundred of Middlesex.

Early Meeting Places Of The St George’s Lodge

 

Source: https://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane/record.php?ID=791

After a while St. George’s Lodge moved from Oxford Street to Deptford in order for its members to prosper. This allowed the Licenced Victuallers, of which there were many in the Lodge, to work near the docks. Some of the Brethren at time were provisioning the Navy as the fleet grew.  The Lodge remained in Deptford until 1850 before a move to Greenwich. The Licenced Victuallers remained in the majority with regards to membership of the Lodge until the 1880s, although the Lodge also had its share of other professional men.

Hemming Lodge

Hemming Lodge No 1512 was consecrated on 15th October 1874 at the Lion Hotel, Hampton, Middlesex. It is one of the older Lodges in the Province of Middlesex, the Province itself only having been established a few years beforehand. The Lodge took its name from The Reverend Dr Samuel Hemming who was Headmaster of Hampton School. His contribution to Freemasonry is renowned in that he was Master of the Lodge of Reconciliation which brought about unity in Masonic ritual following the union Ancients and Moderns in 1813.

Dr Samuel Hemming – Senior Grand Warden

 

Hemming Lodge stayed at the Red Lion Hotel until 1889 when it moved to the Greyhound Inn where the landlord was a Lodge member. The Meals served at the Lion Hotel and the Greyhound were lavish by Modern standards. At that time members of the Lodge would bring in musical instruments and entertain their fellow Brethren. Many of the new initiates to the Lodge were shop keepers and publicans but there were also others including a Cavalry Sergeant Major who was a member of a Military display team. In 1899 Colonel F W Hemming, late of the 5th Dragoon Guards and great-grandson of Dr Hemming, was initiated into the Lodge and presented it with a framed Oil painting of his forbear, Dr Hemming. The Lodge moved to the Mitre Hotel, Hampton Court in 1901. During the 1990s links were established with The St George’s Lodge mainly through the intervention of W. Bro. Arnold Inskip. Brethren from both Lodges have helped each other out with ceremonies and other events over a number of years. These links eventually led to a proposal to amalgamate the two Lodges, a move which would strengthen both parties.

Whilst it always sad to lose a Lodge from the Province, we might take heart that the name Heming will live on within this new Amalgamation.  It is not the number of Lodges that should be the criterion, but the strength and potential of any Lodge as it continues its journey forward in the 21st Century.

The Province of Middlesex was represented by W. Bro Andy Wright PAGDC Provincial Grand Secretary and W. Bro Ian Ferguson PAGStdB APGM.

L -R MetGStwd W. Bro Chad Liley, DepMetGM VW Bro Julian Soper, MetDepGDC W. Bro David Wilson, MetGStwd W. Bro Edward Harman.
VW Bro Julian Soper, Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master with W. Bro William Obomana, Worshipful Master of The St Georges Lodge 140.
VW Bro Julian Soper, Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master Julian Soper with recent initiate Bro Ibrahim Sambe and Worshipful Master W Bro William Obomanu.
WM-presenting a cheque for the London Air Ambulance Appeal for £500 to the Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master.
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